Tesla’s Cybercab, also referred to as its Robotaxi, has been spotted with a steering wheel, sparking curiosity and speculation.
Tesla originally unveiled the Cybercab last year as a two-seat, steering wheel-less electric vehicle designed for autonomous ride-hailing. During the unveiling, Tesla offered rides in the vehicle, but these took place on closed circuits with teleoperations, showcasing no significant advancements beyond the capabilities already available in Tesla’s current customer vehicles.
Skepticism has surrounded the Cybercab, as it relies on Tesla’s existing Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology. Tesla, however, aims to make this technology “unsupervised” by the time the vehicle enters production in 2026. This timeline has raised doubts, given the lack of substantial supporting data for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving progress.
Now, an image captured by Joe Tegtmeyer, known for drone footage of Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas, reveals a Cybercab equipped with a steering wheel. While some debated whether the image showed a steering wheel or a shadow, adjustments to the photo’s contrast confirmed its presence.
This discovery raises several questions. Some speculate Tesla might be planning a consumer version of the Cybercab with a steering wheel. However, Tesla has maintained that the vehicle will launch without one. The more plausible explanation is that the steering wheel is being used for testing with driver supervision, as Tesla’s current technology requires it. This also allows the automaker to sidestep certain reporting regulations tied to autonomous driving trials.
This sighting is particularly intriguing given recent claims by Elon Musk about “unsupervised self-driving trials” involving employees. These remarks, made during a casual moment while Musk was gaming, were met with skepticism. It seems more likely he referred to supervised ride-hailing services for employees in the Bay Area or limited testing of Cybercabs on private roads at Gigafactory Texas.
The Cybercab with a steering wheel aligns with the idea that Tesla’s trials are indeed supervised, which would be consistent with its current technological capabilities.
What are your thoughts? Could this indicate a shift in Tesla’s plans or simply a testing phase? Share your opinion in the comments below!
